Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged

Visual
ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Spell It!
Word Central

variable

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

variable

Main Entry:: ¹var·i·able
Pronunciation:: \ˈver-ē-ə-bəl\
Function:: adjective
Etymology:: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin variabilis, from variare to vary
Date:: 14th century

1 a: able or apt to vary : subject to variation or changes <variable winds> <variable costs> b: fickle, inconstant2: characterized by variations3: having the characteristics of a variable4: not true to type : aberrant —used of a biological group or character

— var·i·abil·i·ty

Listen to the pronunciation of variability

\ˌver-ē-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

— var·i·able·ness

Listen to the pronunciation of variableness

\ˈver-ē-ə-bəl-nəs\ noun

— var·i·ably

Listen to the pronunciation of variably

\-blē\ adverb

Learn more about "variable" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "variable" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols